The present invention is directed to an apparatus for controlling the amount of tension distributed to a patient undergoing a medical traction procedure.
Conventional means of controlling the amount of tension distributed from a traction table to a patient during traction procedures are inadequate and fail to prevent a patient from experiencing injury and discomfort by allowing too much tension to be distributed. One reason for this failure to limit the tension distribution is that earlier designs provide for an outside party, such as a doctor or a medical technician, to release the tension being applied to a patient upon patient request, causing the patient to be in pain before the tension is decreased or removed. In addition, patients tend to experience more stress when they are not in control of their treatment. This tendency prevents the patient from relaxing and causes the patient to xe2x80x98fightxe2x80x99 the traction which causes the patient injury.
A need remains for a device that will allow a patient to control the amount of tension distributed during a medical traction procedure thereby allowing the patient to receive the amount of traction tension needed without causing the patient undue pain, yet allowing the patient to decrease traction tension upon discomfort thereby preventing injury.
Heretofore, a variety of devices have been utilized in connection with distributing and controlling tension to patients on traction tables. Examples of these prior devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,995,378 to Dyer and 1,950,948 (expired).
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and advantages are readily attained.
According to the present invention, an apparatus for controlling the amount of tension distributed to a patient receiving traction is provided which comprises a gripping structure having a switching sensor to sense action commands from a patient, a control consul communicated with the switching sensor so as to receive action commands from the switching sensor. The action commands are then processed so as to create processed commands. The apparatus includes a traction device for applying tension to the patient wherein the traction device includes a tensioning device, having a tension sensing device, communicated with the control consul so as to receive processed commands from the control consul, wherein the tensioning device controls the traction device so as to engage or disengage the traction device.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling, and more particularly for allowing the patient to control, the amount of tension distributed to a patient by a traction table while allowing the patient to receive the needed amount of tension.
Other objects and advantages will appear hereinbelow.